by Arav Bansal (’26) | March 1, 2024
For the second time in the last four years, the San Francisco 49ers’ season ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Although it was a disappointing end for a team with high hopes, a lot of good came out of the 2023 season for the Niners.
In the previous two seasons, they had lost the NFC Championship game, meaning they fell just short of the Super Bowl. So, the most encouraging sign for the future was the fact that the Niners got over the obstacle of the NFC Championship. But can they repeat that effort next season?
A major part of this effort was injury luck, as the 49ers suffered few major injuries compared to previous seasons. While they did lose Talanoa Hufanga and then Dre Greenlaw in this year’s Super Bowl, the 49ers avoided most of the tragic injuries that have plagued them in previous seasons. If this luck continues, the 49ers could be back in the Super Bowl in no time.
The second-year leap that Brock Purdy took is very important for the future. After playing a half-season and impressing most of the NFL, Purdy rounded into an MVP candidate this season. He is currently earning around one million dollars per season, a ghastly salary for such a high-quality player. Once Purdy’s rookie contract is up, the 49ers will be due a massive payment that isn’t on their books right now.
But this offseason and next season hold a lot for the 49ers’ future. First and foremost, Brandon Aiyuk’s contract needs to be addressed. The All-Pro wide receiver is due for a max contract after his breakout season. If the 49ers aren’t able to pay up, they’ll lose one of their best wide receivers and a key to maintaining a championship-contending team. Another player whose rookie contract is also up is Chase Young. Young registered a sack in the Super Bowl, his first with the Niners. Young was traded over to San Francisco at the deadline from Washington, and he could be much better entering his prime opposite of Nick Bosa. It’ll be interesting to see whether the 49ers pick up a different rusher in free agency or stick with Young.
The main 49ers weakness on the defense was the nickel back position. Adding a nickel back this offseason will bring them three cornerbacks that they can keep, making one side of the ball nearly perfect. The team struggled giving up yardage at the nickel back position all year, so that is a top priority this offseason.
But overall, the list of offseason tasks for the 49ers is a short one. With most of the talented team coming back for next season, the 49ers will look to repeat their effort in the short span of Purdy’s rookie contract. Christian McCaffrey will try to follow up his NFL Offensive Player of the Year campaign with another stellar year, though it will be tough to top the twenty-one touchdowns he scored this year. With some fortunate injury luck and a couple of offseason boxes checked off, the 49ers should be NFC champions once again next year.